<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>The King and Esmé by Sophia256</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27814339">The King and Esmé</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sophia256/pseuds/Sophia256'>Sophia256</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Historical RPF</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Implied/Referenced Underage Sex, M/M, Underage Drinking</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 17:33:28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>847</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27814339</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sophia256/pseuds/Sophia256</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>James VI is always ready to trust his dear friend Esmé Stewart... even when there is something telling him not to.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>James VI and I/Esmé Stewart</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>The King and Esmé</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>PLEASE READ: Esmé Stewart was, in real life, the favorite of James VI of Scotland (/I of England). Esmé was also very much in his late thirties at the time, while James was a teenager. Although we cannot know the full story of exactly what happened over 400 years ago, I just want to make it clear that I do NOT condone the possible actions of this 16th century likely-pedophile, or any pedo for that matter. But I’ve recently been reading up on the life of King James, and in this fic I wanted to explore the layer of trust that Esmé had probably built up with James over a long period of time (before exploiting it, that is). So, you have been warned. I didn’t use the actual Underage archive warning because there’s no sexual stuff actually described, but it is "vaguely referenced" at the end, as the warning guide says.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The year was 1579, and King James of Scotland was thirteen years old. He was currently out hunting with a few of his noblemen, including Esmé Stewart.<br/>Esmé, then titled the Seigneur d’Aubigny, had arrived in Scotland from France a few months ago, and he and James were already close friends. Although Esmé, at thirty-seven, was considerably older than the king, James felt that he was the only one around whom he could have a normal, casual conversation with, even more so than with most boys his own age.<br/>The hunt was going well so far today; they had not been out for very long and had already killed two deer, the latter the courtesy of the Earl of Gowrie, who was quite adept with the recently introduced hunting rifle. Now the hunting party stood in a clearing, resting in the afternoon sun for a bit before continuing on.<br/>Esmé had with him a type of fruit called a pear. They were rather new and uncommon to Scotland, but then again Esmé always seemed to have impressive surprises that he had brought over from mainland Europe. And James thought that pears were quite delicious.<br/>Esmé took a small knife and sliced off a chunk of pear, and handed it to James.<br/>“Here you go, your Majesty.”<br/>“Oh, thanks!” James replied, as he eagerly bit into the fruit, which sent juice running down his chin.<br/>“Not a problem at all, that’s what friends are for!” Esmé returned the knife to his pocket, and smiled at the young king. “And we are friends, aren’t we, James?”<br/>James wiped the pear juice from his chin with the back of his hand (the Countess of Mar was not around to lecture him about his manners while he was out in the woods, after all) and nodded.<br/>“Of course, Esmé!”</p>
<p>~~~~~</p>
<p>James was now fourteen years old, and had become increasingly frustrated with the political issues that arose around him. Many of these issues, he noticed, tended to revolve around Esmé.<br/>Most of the other Scottish nobles, being stuffy old Calvinists, suspected Esmé of being a Catholic, and they hated him for it. It was true, James noted, that Esmé used to be a Catholic, but he had converted to Calvinism since arriving in Scotland, and James trusted that his friend wouldn’t be engaging in any secret popery. But while some men, like the Earls of Gowrie and Mar, still wouldn’t soften towards Esmé, James persisted, and had created the man the Earl of Lennox by this point.<br/>Esmé saw James while he was contemplating all this one day while they were walking down the halls of Stirling Castle, and could tell what was on the young king’s mind.<br/>“Is it those lords again?”<br/>James nodded. He always admired how quick his friend’s perception was.<br/>Esmé tilted his head to the side. “Tsk, you’re not going to listen to a bunch of paranoid old men, now are you, James?”<br/>James shook his head. Esmé was right: the nobles tended to see plots and schemes in every corner even when they weren’t there, and to be honest James would only be half surprised if it turned out that they had secret plots and schemes of their own. He knew he should keep a small circle of men he trusted, and he knew exactly who belonged in that circle.<br/>“I won’t, Esmé.”</p>
<p>~~~~~</p>
<p>James was fifteen years old. It was evening, and he was in his chambers talking with Esmé. A common occurrence, although tonight James noted that Esmé was sticking around later tonight than usual; most days he would have already headed back to his own chambers. It had long since gotten dark, and a few candles scattered around them were all that lit the room.<br/>During their conversation, James and Esmé had both been drinking wine, as was typical. Tonight, each time that James had gotten to the bottom of his cup, Esmé had been quick to see to the king’s cup being refilled by a servant.<br/>James blinked a few times, and tried to assess whether the wine was affecting any of his senses. It certainly was making him feel quite warm, if anything.<br/>“Everything alright there?” Esmé gazed over at James from his own chair.<br/>“Er, yes, I’m fine, thank you,” responded James. He tried studying the flickering light of one of the candles for a moment, but it kept shifting in and out of his focus.<br/>Then, in an unexpected action, Esmé leaned forward and placed one hand on James’ thigh.<br/>“You can keep a secret, right, James?”<br/>James looked down at his thigh, where Esmé’s thumb had begun to rub back and forth, then back to the man’s eyes, which glinted with an expression that wasn’t quite familiar to James. Some small voice at the back of his mind was wary of what was before him, but James still wanted to trust the man who had for so long been his friend, and admittedly the drink also served to rather loosen his judgement. He swallowed, then spoke quietly.<br/>“...Yes, Esmé.”</p>
  </div></div>
</body>
</html>